Radioactive
by RomanticBlondie
Summary: Inspired by the song "Radioactive" by Imagine Peter Petrelli has to save the day one last time, even if he has no
1. Radioactive

Summary: "Just because the world has gone to hell and those things are out there, doesn't mean we stop being heroes!" Peter shouted. As another scream for help reached his ears he took off out the front door in a sprint ignoring the calls of his name.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything.

SPOLIERS:

A/N: I was inspired to write this while I was listening to 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons which is where the lyrics come from. I am still debating whether to make this into a longer story or leave it as is. Leave reviews on what you think. Enjoy.

CHAPTER 1

_**I'm waking up to ash and dust,**_

_**I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust,**_

_**I'm breathing in, the chemicals, gahh ahhh.**_

New York had been the first to go then the rest of the world. Peter couldn't help but feel it was his fault and the guilt was eating him up alive. He and Claire had gotten separated from the others during the chaos. The virus Adam released had an unexpected effect on the human population. Those who were unfortunate enough to be outside when it was released died almost instantly, but that wasn't the worse part. That would have almost been merciful. No the dead began to get up and eat those who still remained amongst the living.

_**I'm breaking in, shaping up, **_

_**Then checking out on the prison bus.**_

_**This it it, the apocalypse, woah.**_

The heroes had tried to jump in and help with their abilities but that's when they discovered they were gone. The virus had somehow taken away their powers. Most had fled then in search of shelter, away from these creatures. Peter had known that it was only a matter of time before the city was over run. His first stop had been to his apartment to get some clothes and supplies, after stealing a truck, he went to the Petrelli mansion in search of his family. What greeted him when he stepped through the door left his blood running cold.

_**I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones**_

_**Enough to make my systems go**_

_**Welcome to the new age, to the new age.**_

The blood. So much blood was everywhere. But that wasn't the worse part. Sitting in various chairs around the dinner table was his family. Nathan, Heidi, the kids, his mother, all dead. Each with a bullet in the head. The gun rested beside Nathan's head on the table which told Peter that his brother had most likely shot each of the others before turning the gun on himself.

_**Welcome to the new age, to the new age.**_

_**Woah, woah, I'm radioactive, radioactive.**_

_**Woah, woah, I'm radioactive, radioactive.**_

Peter felt sick to his stomach. How could they leave him like that? How could his brother be so weak? He had turned to leave when the sound of a sob reached his ears. His heart began to race as he moved further into dining room where the sound grew nearer. He almost sobbed in relief when he saw Claire huddled in the corner. Their eyes met and that's when Peter realized, she was all he had left.

The two were out of the city by nightfall.

_**I raise my flag and dye my clothes,**_

_**It's a revolution I suppose.**_

_**We're painted red, to fit right in, woah.**_

"Claire, do you hear that?" Peter asked his niece as he moved towards the door of the house they were holding up in that week. The girl in question sighed. It had been almost two months since the world went to hell and the two of them were somewhere outside of Atlanta. They had both agreed it would be safer less populated down south. They would eventually make their way to Odessa, Texas to see if Claire's family was still alive. Claire didn't think so, but Peter was optimistic.

_**I'm breaking in, shaping up, **_

_**Then checking out on the prison bus.**_

_**This is it, the apocalypse, woah.**_

"Peter this is not our concern. Remember what happened the last time we tried to help other survivors," she replied, pulling on his shirt sleeve in an attempt to get him away from the front door. To her dismay, he wouldn't budge.

_**I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones**_

_**Enough to make my systems go**_

_**Welcome to the new age, to the new age.**_

"Just because the world has gone to hell and those things are out there, doesn't mean we stop being heroes!" Peter shouted. As another scream for help reached his ears he took off out the front door in a sprint ignoring the calls of his name.

_**Welcome to the new age, to the new age.**_

_**Woah, woah, I'm radioactive, radioactive.**_

_**Woah, woah, I'm radioactive, radioactive.**_

Peter rounded the corner of a building in time to see a tiny blonde woman fighting off the biters with a very interesting weapon. It was the hybrid of an axe and a stake. Fighting along side her was a man in a police uniform and cowboy hat. Peter turned to look over his shoulder as he heard Claire approaching. When she was next to him with a axe matching the one he held in his hand, she nodded.

"Let's go be heroes."

They stepped into the fray as more of those creatures began to draw near. Peter lost sight of Claire for a second as he dealt with two biters. His heart nearly stopped at the scream of his name.

"PETER!"

Claire was surrounded cornered by three of those things doing her best to kick them away. He noticed the officer and blonde woman were trying their best to get to his niece as well, but they were surrounded and busy fighting their own battles. Peter took off in a run, moving as fast as his feet would carry him.

He managed to push by one of the things and push Claire into the side of a building, shielding her with his own body from the biters. He let out a curse as he felt them biting into his back but he didn't move. He would not let them get to Claire. He looked down at the girl. She was crying.

"Peter no, why did you do that! How dare you leave me!"

"Claire, I need you to be strong for me. To live."

"No! not without you. You're all I have left!"

"Damn it Claire! Listen to me for once!" I was faintly aware of the biters being pulled away from me. Our new friends had probably finally made it over to us. I stiffened at the sound of a gun being cocked behind me. I wouldn't fight it. I had done the best that I could.

As I slumped to the ground, I vaguely heard Claire's voice. She was shouting at the other two as she stood infront of me. I wanted to reach out to her and tell her to let me go, to leave me, but the shadows engulfed my vision as everything went black.

_**All systems go, sun hasn't died.**_

_**Deep in my bones, straight from inside.**_

_**I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones.**_

I sat up in a panic as I looked around in a daze. I was inside some kind of bus. It was empty.

'_Peter please don't leave me.'_

My head whipped around.

'_I feel for the kid. But we have to put him down.'_

Another voice spoke. What the hell was going on? There was no one else on the bus but him. Where were the voices coming from? He it was a vaguely familiar feeling but that had been back before all this happened.

"PETER! You're alive!"

Peter stood up in time to catch Claire as she launched herself into his arms. When they pulled away Claire introduced the other two as Rick and Buffy.

'_Well I'll be damned. Son looks like you've got angels looking out for you.'_

Peter's eyes widened as he looked at Rick. Claire noticed his staring and frowned.

_**Enough to make my system go.**_

"What's wrong Peter?"

"Stand back Claire." The blonde hesitantly let him go and stepped back. Peter held his hands our palms up. Slowly, two balls of electrical current began to form in his hand. He looked up to Claire with a grin.

"My powers are back."

_**Welcome to the new age, to the new age.**_

_**Woah, woah, I'm radioactive, radioactive **_

_**Woah, woah, I'm radioactive, radioactive **_


	2. Never Surrender

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING.

Author's Note: This was never intended to be anything more than a one shot that was inspired by a song. However, I've decided to take on the task of developing it into something more. This chapter was inspired by "Never Surrender"- Skillet …I'm currently working on another story 'Daddy's Girl' but I don't see why I can't do both. With that being said, review and enjoy.

Chapter 2

One month. It had been one month, at least that's what it was according to Carol's makeshift calendar on one of the prison walls. After her and Peter explained why he hadn't turned once he got bit, they had been offered by the former sheriff and "vampire slayer,"(still had trouble wrapping my head around that one) to come back to their hold up at the prison nearby. They had been introduced to the rest of Rick's group. Then Peter had explained his abilities to them and tested out a range of them to see what exactly had returned. Come to find out, he regained them all…even her healing. It wasn't fair. She never thought she would say it but, she missed her healing powers. It sure would come in handy right now.

_**Do you know what it's like when**_

_**You're scared to see yourself?**_

_**Do you know what it's like when**_

_**You wish you were someone else**_

_**Who didn't need your help to get by?**_

Claire had been trying for a few days now to get the others to let her get bitten by a walker. In theory the bit would return her abilities like it did Peter's. The others had shot her down, even when she argued that not only would she be safer but she would be able to give blood donations. Hershel and Rick had seemed to consider her proposal but were quickly shot down by Peter. At the end of the day, regardless of if they agreed with her or not, they would not risk crossing Peter. He was an asset that the prison group badly needed.

She'd tried pleading her case to Peter, that if it didn't work, he could heal her. But he wasn't sure if he could heal people who had been bitten. No one had wanted to volunteer to test that theory.

_**Do you know what it's like**_

_**To wanna surrender?**_

That's why she had waited until now to put her plan in motion. Up in the towers keeping watch were Glenn and Maggie. The two had just gotten married recently so she was sure they would be occupied enough for her to get across the yard and through the cut in the fence they had tied back up. Quickly unlacing it, Claire climbed through before re-lacing it back. Sure that no walkers would be getting in, she stepped away from the fence.

Claire looked back at the prison from over her shoulder. She knew Peter would come after her but she had to do this. She couldn't keep living in fear. One way or another that ended tonight.

_**I don't wanna feel like this tomorrow**_

_**I don't wanna live like this today**_

It didn't take her long to stumble across a walker. The petite dark haired walking corpse had been wandering in a direction slightly to her right but stopped and turned to let out a growl her way when it caught wiff of her fresh flesh.

As the creature moved closer, Claire had to fight against her survival instinct to run. Just before the walker could bite down Peter appeared, seemingly out of thin air. She rationalized that he could locate people, thanks to his run in with Molly.

"Claire what the hell are you doing! I told you no!"

Claire watched with dismay as he held out his hand to blast the walker. Dread began to settle in her chest. No, she couldn't let him do this. Without thinking twice, Claire shoved him. Not expecting her action, he stumbled, missing his target.

With no time to waste, Claire held out her arm which the walker eagerly bit down on.

_**Make me feel better, I wanna feel better**_

_**Stay with me here now and never surrender**_

_**Never surrender**_

Before the walker could do any further damage, it collapsed as Peter hit it with a bolt of electricity. Feeling somewhat safe, I stumbled into Peter's arms.

As he wrapped his arms around me, I sighed. I always felt safe in his arms. It probably wasn't a very niece like sentiment to an uncle, but who cared. It was the end of the world and he was all she had. Hell, if this didn't work, these would be her last moments and she argued with herself, she might as well enjoy them in the arms of someone she loved.

His fingers threaded through her blonde locks as he stroked the back of her head. By this point when he spoke his rich voice had taken on a low almost hopeless quality.

"Claire…how could you? You're all I have left. How could you do this?"

Pulling away a little, I looked into his eyes as my hand came up to touch his cheek. I could feel the bite taking hold and the fever setting in.

_**Do you know what it's like when **_

_**You're not who you wanna be?**_

_**Do you know what it's like to**_

_**Be your own worst enemy**_

_**Who sees the things in me I can't hide?**_

"Peter…I had to. You know what it's like to live in fear. Fear of being eaten alive by one of those monsters. I had to try."

_**Do you know what it's like**_

_**To wanna surrender?**_

"Let me try to heal you."

She gave him a sad smile. "I can't. I have to see this through. If you heal me I'll be back to living with that fear and never knowing if this could have worked."

Silent tears began to run down the dark haired man's face. His voice becoming choked with emotion.

"Claire."

_**I don't wanna feel like this tomorrow**_

_**I don't wanna live like this today**_

_**Make me feel better, I wanna feel better**_

Feeling the pulls of what? Death? Claire couldn't go without telling him at least once. Words she had choked on so many times in the past.

"I love you."

_**Stay with me here now and never surrender**_

_**Make me feel better, you make me feel better**_

_**You make me feel better, put me back together**_

She sighed in contentment as his beautiful voice reached her ears just before the darkness claimed her.

"I love you Claire."

_**I don't wanna feel like this tomorrow**_

_**I don't wanna live like this today**_

_**Make me feel better, I need to feel better**_

_**Stay with me here now and never surrender**_

Peter looked down at the beautiful blonde. She wanted this and he couldn't go against her wishes. He wanted to so badly to try to heal her. What if she didn't wake up? How could he go on?

_**Put me back together**_

_**Never surrender, make me feel better**_

Her breathing finally stopped and time seemed to freeze as he waited. He wondered if this was his punishment for loving his niece in that way. For wanting nothing more than to feel her skin against his own. He was convinced…this was his hell. To be forced to kill her remains then live forever in a world of animated corpse.

_**You make me feel better**_

He held his breath as she began to stir.

His heart sank as the moan reached his ears. Slowly pulling back he looked into her eyes. The pale inhuman glaze coated her once bright blue eyes.

"Oh Claire. How could you leave me."

Just as he reached forward to snap her neck, something amazing happened.

She stopped growling and stared at him.

Right before his eyes, the film of death in her own began to fade.

Almost as if by magic, she blinked and her bright baby blues returned to normal.

Peter's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Claire?"

She let out a small noise in the back of her throat.

"Peter…Did it work?"

Simultaneously they both looked down to her arm where the walker had delivered the fatal bite.

Only flecks of dried blood remained on otherwise smooth sun tanned flesh.

It had worked. Meeting her eyes, he couldn't stop the grin that broke out across his face.

"You're totally my hero Claire Bennett."

She let out a small giggle.

"Shut up you goof."

"Make me," he smirked.

And she did. Catching him off guard, her lips pressed against his.

_**Stay with me here now and never surrender.**_


End file.
